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Private schools plan 10,000 free places for low-income pupils | Private schools plan 10,000 free places for low-income pupils |
(35 minutes later) | |
Private schools will offer to provide up to 10,000 free places a year to low-income families in England. | Private schools will offer to provide up to 10,000 free places a year to low-income families in England. |
The Independent Schools Council (ISC) says if the government pays £5,550 per place - the cost in the state system - the schools will cover the rest. This is expected to cost up to £80m. | The Independent Schools Council (ISC) says if the government pays £5,550 per place - the cost in the state system - the schools will cover the rest. This is expected to cost up to £80m. |
Some pupils would be tested for academic ability but the scheme would not just target the brightest children. | Some pupils would be tested for academic ability but the scheme would not just target the brightest children. |
Chief inspector of schools Sir Michael Wilshaw said the plan was not enough. | Chief inspector of schools Sir Michael Wilshaw said the plan was not enough. |
The proposal, originally seen by the BBC and now confirmed, will be made in the ISC's response to a government consultation on the future of education. | The proposal, originally seen by the BBC and now confirmed, will be made in the ISC's response to a government consultation on the future of education. |
The scheme would be open to primary and secondary school-age children. | The scheme would be open to primary and secondary school-age children. |
But details about which families would benefit and what form the tests would take are yet to be settled and the scheme could not take place without the government's approval. | But details about which families would benefit and what form the tests would take are yet to be settled and the scheme could not take place without the government's approval. |
Currently it costs an average of £30,000 to send a pupil to board and £15,500 for a day school for a year. | |
'Tax privileges' | 'Tax privileges' |
The plan is designed to meet government demands that - in exchange for its tax-free, charitable status - the private education sector does more for potential pupils whose families cannot afford to pay the fees. | The plan is designed to meet government demands that - in exchange for its tax-free, charitable status - the private education sector does more for potential pupils whose families cannot afford to pay the fees. |
This status saves independent schools at least £150m a year. | This status saves independent schools at least £150m a year. |
But Sir Michael said the proposal did not go far enough, adding: "I think they can do better than that and if I was government I would be asking them to do more as a quid pro quo for their tax privileges." | But Sir Michael said the proposal did not go far enough, adding: "I think they can do better than that and if I was government I would be asking them to do more as a quid pro quo for their tax privileges." |
There are roughly 600,000 pupils in each year group in England, and private schools educate only 7% of the total school population. | There are roughly 600,000 pupils in each year group in England, and private schools educate only 7% of the total school population. |
Analysis | |
By BBC education correspondent Sean Coughlan | |
If the debate about bringing back grammar schools felt like a blast from the past, then the proposal for state-subsidised places in private schools is another case of "back to the future". | |
It would mean reviving something similar to the Assisted Places Scheme, which supported means-tested places in private schools in the 1980s and 1990s. | |
They were not "free" places, but taxpayer-funded. | |
Scrapping this scheme was one of the first symbolic acts of the Blair government in 1997. | |
Labour argued that public money should be focused on improving state education for the majority - and not used for life rafts into the private sector for a minority. | |
But now the independent schools are testing the water with the May government. | |
It's an ideological choice as much as a practical one, because the numbers of subsidised places proposed - 10,000 a year - are against a school population of more than 8.5 million in England. | |
The government already has a fight on its hands over grammars. Will it want to be seen as lining up with independent schools and snubbing the state sector? | |
The ISC says independent schools will also help set up new free schools and academies in areas identified as needing extra help by ministers. | The ISC says independent schools will also help set up new free schools and academies in areas identified as needing extra help by ministers. |
The government's Schools that Work for Everyone consultation, which set out plans for new grammar schools, included demands on independent schools. | The government's Schools that Work for Everyone consultation, which set out plans for new grammar schools, included demands on independent schools. |
It said they must support existing state schools, open new ones or offer funded places to children whose families could not afford fees. | It said they must support existing state schools, open new ones or offer funded places to children whose families could not afford fees. |
It proposed setting "benchmarks" for public schools, and suggested new legislation could see them stripped of their charitable status if they failed to reach those benchmarks. | It proposed setting "benchmarks" for public schools, and suggested new legislation could see them stripped of their charitable status if they failed to reach those benchmarks. |
'Crumbs off your tables' | 'Crumbs off your tables' |
The ISC said its offer would provide a number of school places equivalent to building 10 state secondary schools. | The ISC said its offer would provide a number of school places equivalent to building 10 state secondary schools. |
It says it already provides 40,000 bursaries worth £350m, but only 5,500 of these provide fully funded places. | It says it already provides 40,000 bursaries worth £350m, but only 5,500 of these provide fully funded places. |
Critics have often questioned whether private schools deserve to be charities and the Charities Commission attempted to introduce a public benefit test requiring independent schools to offer free places to pupils from poor backgrounds. | Critics have often questioned whether private schools deserve to be charities and the Charities Commission attempted to introduce a public benefit test requiring independent schools to offer free places to pupils from poor backgrounds. |
In 2013, Sir Michael told them they were providing no more than the "crumbs off your tables" with support for state schools. | In 2013, Sir Michael told them they were providing no more than the "crumbs off your tables" with support for state schools. |
If put in place, the proposal would introduce a system similar in scale to the Assisted Places Scheme, which gave more than 75,000 pupils private educations between 1980 and 1998. | If put in place, the proposal would introduce a system similar in scale to the Assisted Places Scheme, which gave more than 75,000 pupils private educations between 1980 and 1998. |
Former Labour Education Secretary Estelle Morris said: "This is about a request to use state money, taxpayers' money, to extract the brightest children out of the comprehensive school system, skim them off, and put them into public schools." | Former Labour Education Secretary Estelle Morris said: "This is about a request to use state money, taxpayers' money, to extract the brightest children out of the comprehensive school system, skim them off, and put them into public schools." |
'Big impact' | 'Big impact' |
She added that many of these pupils would more than likely have done well in comprehensives anyway. | She added that many of these pupils would more than likely have done well in comprehensives anyway. |
But Barnaby Lenon, ISC chairman, said: "We are offering the prospect of jointly funded places - up to 10,000 a year. | But Barnaby Lenon, ISC chairman, said: "We are offering the prospect of jointly funded places - up to 10,000 a year. |
"It could have a very big impact on some areas and, in particular, on individual families." | "It could have a very big impact on some areas and, in particular, on individual families." |
He added that private schools already did a lot to aid education in the state sector, such as working in partnership with 10,000 state schools. | |
Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said Labour had scrapped the Assisted Places Scheme to fund smaller infant class sizes. | Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said Labour had scrapped the Assisted Places Scheme to fund smaller infant class sizes. |
This was "a measure that helped millions of children rather than the handful that the Assisted Places Scheme supported", she said. | |
"Independent schools can and should do more to support state schools if they are to hold on to their business rates relief. I'm afraid promising places to a few children just doesn't cut it. | "Independent schools can and should do more to support state schools if they are to hold on to their business rates relief. I'm afraid promising places to a few children just doesn't cut it. |
A spokesman for the Department for Education said it welcomed the contribution to its consultation and would respond in due course. | A spokesman for the Department for Education said it welcomed the contribution to its consultation and would respond in due course. |